Pittman to return for senior season

AUSTIN — Texas center Dexter Pittman announced Wednesday he will not enter the NBA draft this spring and will return to the Longhorns for his senior season.

Pittman, a 6-foot-10, 298-pounder from Rosenberg, was one of the nation’s most improved players this season and was projected by some scouts as a possible first-round selection. He could have put his name in the draft, withdrawn by June 15 and still kept his college eligibility, but he said he didn’t think that process was worth it.

“I wanted to get this off my chest,” Pittman said, “because I wanted to go back to a normal life.”

Pittman, who said he’s only “scratching the surface,” hopes to use his final college season to improve his body physically and refine his game. With Pittman returning and one of the nation’s top recruiting classes on its way, the Longhorns should have a chance to be a Top 10 team entering next season.

Forward Damion James, who is also considered a fringe first-round pick, still has not announced his intentions regarding the NBA draft. He said at the end of the season he hoped to make his decision within a month.